Will Coco Palms Really Resurrect?

No more speculating or wondering what’s to become of that disheveled Coco Palms Resort still falling to pieces on Kauai. That’s because an Oahu-based investment group plans to rebuild the property as a modern-day version of the original Coco Palms.

That’s the very latest on this iconic hotel. A newly-formed group called Coco Palms Hui LLC has already obtained demolition permits for the Wailua property currently in escrow, according to “The Garden Isle” newspaper. After submitting building plans to the county, group members hope to begin work at the beginning of next year. However, it will take up to two years to get the hotel back to its pre-Hurricane Iniki days.

The infamous 1992 hurricane devastated most of Kauai and caused extensive damage to the hotel made famous by Elvis Presley. This is where he got married in the 1961 film “Blue Hawaii.” Most recently, Johnny Depp shimmied up a coconut tree located on this very property.

Still, I wouldn’t build up your hopes just yet. There’s still a lengthy and tedious process that must take place before any work can begin – including funding. A company before Coco Palms LLC held building permits for eight years before it expired recently. Apparently, the company could not find suitable investors.

The glint of hope in all of this is that a building company gathered for a blessing on the hotel grounds recently and started removing overgrown weeds, according to the report. Soon, they will install dust screens around the property. I’d say some progress is better than none.